While the 4550 is well
laid out above decks, she’s just as attractively arranged below.
The space here, which is accented throughout with standard cherrywood,
is, unlike many express boats, voluminous, with headroom averaging 6'5".
But the most impressive feature is her aft master stateroom. The catty-corner,
queen-size berth provides nearly full walkaround access. There’s
also a vanity, en suite head, and, on my test boat, an optional ($1,486)
and quite cool whirlpool tub with French doors that open directly to the
master. (You definitely don’t see that on boats this size every day).
Another set of doors links the tub to the head, while a full-length cedar
closet provides space for a couple’s bathing suits, dress suits,
shorts, shirts, and more.

The forepeak VIP is
no slouch, either, sporting a queen-size berth, walk-in closet, and separate
door that leads to a full head. A third stateroom with two berths for
the kids lies just aft and to starboard of the VIP.

The 4550’s galley
also benefits from the boat’s spaciousness, with room for a standard
two-burner electric cooktop, Sharp microwave/convection oven, and U-shape
dinette just forward of it. A J-shape settee adds more seating across
to port. If you’re into cruising for the day, week, or even longer,
this below-decks layout makes the 4550 quite comfortable for the family
or a couple and a few friends.

However, one place where
things got tight for me was the engine compartment. I’m only 5'7",
and with just three feet of squat room in the compartment, which is accessed
by lifting the saloon sole, I found that doing anything other than basic
maintenance inboard would be a chore. Outboard access is adequate for
taking a quick look, but I wouldn’t want to work down here for long.
On the plus side, Cruisers did a good job of labeling all systems here,
so in the event of trouble, you can quickly identify the culprit. Still,
I’d be willing to give up some headroom in the saloon to enhance
overall engine access—but then again, at 5'7" I don’t need
a lot of headroom.

From her European-inspired
rounded windows to her spacious below-decks area, I liked what I saw on
the 4550—especially considering she was a prototype—but I was
wondering how this hybrid would perform. I found out, running her in the
Atlantic. With naval architect Mike Myers, a member of the design team,
at the wheel, we made several speed runs in two- to three-foot seas. With
her solid-fiberglass bottom and stringer system and balsa-cored hull sides
to stiffen the structure while reducing weight (34,000 pounds dry), our
4550 hit a respectable top speed of 32.5 mph, with her optional twin 480-hp
Volvo Penta 75P diesel inboards turning 2680 rpm. Thanks to 22x29 4-blade
Nibrals, she came up to speed gradually and deliberately.

However, I noticed that
at WOT the hardtop shook, perhaps because it had just a lone support on
centerline, which made it susceptible to lateral movement. Myers told
me the single support was an attempt to improve sightlines. Although sightlines
were great, Myers said that the design team would be going back to its
time-tested, double-support hardtop for the production version to eliminate
this movement.

That said, I welcomed
the shade from the hardtop as I took the wheel from Myers and ran the
4550 from standing still to WOT, spun her on her length, and performed
other maneuvers. The standard Teleflex steering was real-time responsive,
and the optional Volvo Penta single-lever electronic controls had comfortable
detents. From an express boat point of view, the 4550 is high-sided (17'7"
from her keel to the top of the hardtop), and wide yet smooth turns are
the order of the day. For operating in close-quarters, I’d spend
the $9,907 for the optional SidePower bow thruster; it helped me make
minor moves much easier. By the time my day on the 4550 ended, I’d
concluded that she handled well, rode dry, and would be a lot fun for
the cruising family.

When a company introduces
a new concept to any industry, there’s always a risk, but for those
who take the risk, there can be great rewards. I give kudos to Cruisers
Yachts for being bold in offering this new design, and the fact that it
has already addressed the hardtop issue is to me a sign of commitment
to quality. Taking into account this boat’s roominess, comfortable
cruising layout, nicely finished interior, and attractive styling, I suspect
this risk will be rewarded in the form of a busy production line.